It's a Wonderful Life Giftset (Blu-ray + Bell Ornament)

Why is this the BEST release of "It's A Wonderful Life" in DVD history?
Rather than review the content of this almost universally beloved film, I'm just going to comment about the quality of the 2006 60th Anniversary Edition DVD itself. I've since written an updated review about a new edition of this title, now available in a "Two-Disc Collector's Set." Please find that review -- which was posted on December 13, 2008. (Amazon has posted my 2006 review in both places -- even though the "60th Anniversary Edition" DVD is DIFFERENT from the "Two-Disc Collector's Set". Read my write-up for the "Two-Disc Collector's Set" -- again, it's DATED 2008 and too early to rank among the "most helpful" reviews -- to better decide which product you prefer.)

I've owned nearly...

Why is the Two-Disc Collector's Set of "It's A Wonderful Life" special? It has the best "color" hues to date!
On November 4, 2006, I posted a review noting the side-by-side differences between the "60th Anniversary Edition of It's A Wonderful Life" - vs. all other editions of this film released on home video during the past 25 years. I still stand by that review.

The "Two-Disc Collector's Set" is a different product. While it contains the same 60th Anniversary DVD in pristine black-and-white - is ALSO includes a second DVD - a colorized version of "It's A Wonderful Life" that boasts the best color hues I've seen to date!

If you're like me -- and you prefer black-and-white films to stay black-and-white - fine. But I bought this 2-disc set because I was curious about how FAR digital image technology has come - since the controversial practice of colorizing black-and-white films began more than two decades ago. In short, the colorization here is spectacular.

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DISC ONE --...

It's A Wonderful Blu-Ray
If you are reading this review you likely already know and love this movie. For me, it is the epitome of holiday movies with great acting along with a terrific script and tight direction. If you have never seen it in some ways I envy you - just buy it and enjoy!

As I was growing up this film was shown repeatedly on television as it had lapsed into the public domain. Somehow, it was retrieved from public domain with some legal wrangling - and though at first I thought of that as a bad thing the quality of the film has benefited now that there is money to be made on this old classic. The initial DVDs available for this film from the public domain era were very poor quality and only recently were better scans completed. That process has been taken to "the nth degree" for the blu-ray release.

For this review I did watch the first few minutes of the Republic Pictures DVD version which last time I checked into this was the best transfer available. I recall when first...

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6 Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Rolling Stones / [2 DVD]

Brilliantly restored and as easy to navigate as a magic carpet ride.
P.S. Colbert, DVD Verdict --The half-dozen appearances the filthy five made on The Ed Sullivan Show certainly weren't the group's most revelatory television spots--only vocals were performed live, and even those were abetted by pre-recorded backing tracks--but they may have been the most important. Remember this same variety hour formally introduced The Beatles to America, effectively ushering in our second "British Invasion."

Just as they did for The Fab Four, the good folks at SOFA Entertainment have packaged the whole kit 'n caboodle of meetings between The Stones and Sullivan (easily the most ill-suited man to ever host a variety show), presenting each episode in its entirety, including commercials for Hai Karate after shave, Aerowax floor shine, "Medically Tested" Proslim reducing pills, Vivarin Stimulant Tablets, and the occasional health advisory: "If you're not taking color pictures with the new Polaroid Colorpak camera, there's something being left out of your...

Great set on the cover but not the original episodes
After the great set of Ed Sullivan Shows of the Beatles featuring the four originals episodes(but slightly edited of the cigarette commercials and one performance of Mitzi Gaynor edited for whatever reason), the three originals episode of Elvis Presley with magnificiant remasterisation of the picture using VidFire that allows kinescope telerecording to be finally viewed like it was when originaly broadcast in semi video quality. Here we have the six appearances of the Rolling Stones on the Ed Sullivan Show. I don't say originals because it is not the original episodes as broadcast. All of the episodes have something missing here and there, Tom Jones original song in that episode is "It's not unusual", not "Whatcha gonna do about it" taken from another episode June 13, 1965, Dusty Springfield original song is "All Cried Out" not the badly edited second song of a medley taken from an episode of May 1964!!!. The most weird is the Franco Corelli & Renaldo Tebaldi number (replacing a...

Best Set of Live Stones Performances
This collection from The Ed Sullivan Show has the best collection of live Rolling Stones performances. This captures the Stones when they were young, raw and making name for themselves in the US. In my opinion, the best music from The Rolling Stones came in the mid to late 60s when Brian Jones was still part of the band. Really happy to see this collection available.

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Three Colors: Blue, White, Red (Criterion Collection)

The Trilogy DVD set from Miramax
The late great Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski cleverly "adapted" the three French ideals -- liberty, equality, fraternity -- into three thought-provoking modern-day dramas about people who cope with personal losses and tragedies. In BLUE, the first of the trilogy, a widow tries to set herself free (and gain liberty) from her emotional baggages. The second film, WHITE, is about a jilted man's outrageous plot to get even (thus, equality) with his ex-wife. The last film, RED, which is also Kieslowski's final film before he died in 1996, is about a lonely old man who is embittered by the memories of his youth and finds accidental companionship (fraternity) with a young model. All three films are understated in their tone, economical in their dialogs, elliptical in their editing and plotting (there are some mind-boggling flashbacks and flash forwards in WHITE), and haunting in their atmosphere.

The references to the three French ideals are actually quite tenuous, and in fact...

Review of Criterion's Blu-ray Edition
*** 11/26/11: ADDED REVIEW OF CRITERION BLU-RAY EDITION ***

The late great Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski cleverly "adapted" the three French ideals -- liberty, equality, fraternity -- into three thought-provoking modern-day dramas about people who cope with personal losses and tragedies. In BLUE, the first of the trilogy, a widow tries to set herself free (and gain liberty) from her emotional baggages. The second film, WHITE, is about a jilted man's outrageous plot to get even (thus, equality) with his ex-wife. The last film, RED, which is also Kieslowski's final film before he died in 1996, is about a lonely old man who is embittered by the memories of his youth and finds accidental companionship (fraternity) with a young model. All three films are understated in their tone, economical in their dialogs, elliptical in their editing and plotting (there are some mind-boggling flashbacks and flash forwards in WHITE), and haunting in their atmosphere.

The...

One of the greatest cinematic experiences of the 1990s
The Three Colors Trilogy comprises 3 superb films (Bleu/Blanc/Rouge) by the late, great director Krzysztof Kieslowski. The films use the symbolism expressed by the colors of the French flag for their themes (liberty, equality, fraternity). The Three Colors is Kieslowski's crowning achievement, and Rouge, his final film, is probably his masterpiece. That's saying something, because some of his previous films (Decalogue, The Double Life of Veronique) are among the greatest films of the last 20 years! I saw Bleu (with Juliette Binoche) a long time ago and was very impressed. It's a sad but beautful movie, about a composer's widow and how she copes with life after his death. Blanc (with Julie Delpy) is about life for a man after he is unceremoniously dumped by his wife; it's the lightest and most comedic of the three films. Rouge (with Irene Jacob) is my favorite and explores the melancholy (and platonic) relationship that develops between a young lady and an older man. Jacob is quite...

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Raw Food 101

I loved Tayna's Raw Food DVD
If you are new to raw foods or confused about what steps to take, Raw Food 101 is an awesome DVD to get you started. Tanya Alexseeva, Better Raw, lives in London and I absolutely love all that she is doing to help people live healthier lives. Her 2 1/2 hour DVD is a complete beginners guide to raw food. The DVD is all in chapters so it is extremely easy to follow and go back and forth between the different subjects. I love being able to actually watch the recipes being created. She starts off with the equipment she uses on a daily basis in her raw kitchen. She then goes on to green smoothies, nut milk and calcium, superfoods, the staples in her kitchen, sprouting, fermenting, dehydrating, sauces & flavors, five minute meals & desserts. I received permission from Tanya to create one of her recipes from the DVD and I picked her delicious 'Curry in a Hurry' main dish meal. Oh my goodness this was so good with flavor plus! My daughter dropped by and absolutely loved it too. The...

Tanya is a raw food wizard!
Tanya is one of the world's foremost experts on how to make the most of a vibrant raw lifestyle and diet. Her DVD will show you how to breathe new life into your raw food routine and create magic in your kitchen! She's also the patron saint of raw chocolate. Her beautiful food really is 'Better Raw'!

can not get it to play
Purchased this a while back and finally had a chance to view it and found that it will
NOT PLAY in any of the 4 DVD players in our home. A sign comes up on the screen and says
this DVD can not be played or recorded, another DVD player says, this disc can not be played and exits the disk......HELP! I would really like to see this!
(I can't send it back as I waited to long to play it.)

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Smallville: The Complete Series

Review of the ACTUAL box set
I'm a huge SV fan. Been one since about season two. And I wanted this awesome-looking collector's set so badly that I sold my seasons one through nine, some textbooks, etc. just to have money for it.

In the long run, I kind of regret doing that.

Here's the short version: If you already own seasons one through nine, do yourself a favor and just buy season ten. This big set, unfortunately, is not worth it.

Here's the long version: While the set looks beautiful, it's not practical. Each DVD is tightly (and I mean TIGHTLY) held in place by cardboard dividers. You literally have to pry out some of the DVDs from between two slats of cardboard. Obviously, this leaves some pretty heavy scratches. One of my DVDs looks like I set it on the floor, put my foot on top of it, and did the hokey pokey. The fronts of the DVDs look great, each season represented by a different Kryptonian symbol that die-hard fans will recognize. However, the DVDs are packed SO TIGHTLY...

Warning must buy more with this!
Warning...you must buy other cases or something safe to put your DVD's in. It is a horrible designed cardboard sleeve with no protection that is sealed too tight. I've had to tear the cardboard to get DVD's out and it scratches your dvd too. Some have even gotten deep scratches on the first time taking the DVD out causing it to skip. So know you will have to tear the sleeves the DVD's are in and put them in something that won't destroy them.

Other than that its great!

Bad Design
I got this box set for chrismas and got all the way to 6th season and then had problems with the disc. I'm sorry who ever designed the package was an idiot. This is why I have reverted to downloading shows and movies. It is utterly rediculas to spend 200 dollars on a box set to find a disc so scratched up that it is unable to watch it. Beware before you buy this that chances are you are going to end up with disc that are scratched.

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